Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday that he will boycott a scheduled security discussion if Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar attends, accusing the intelligence leader of incompetence and scheming against the government.
In a statement, Smotrich’s office called Bar a “failed Shin Bet chief,” who was dismissed from his role and is now exploiting the agency’s “draconian intelligence and investigative tools” for personal vendettas against politicians and journalists.
“Bar failed in his duties on October 7 and is now acting criminally to carry out a coup,” the statement alleged, referencing Hamas’ devastating attack that triggered the Gaza war.